Dominance Defined: Mirkovic’s Monster Double-Double Leads Illinois Past Colgate

Illinois improved to 4-0 after beating Colgate behind a dominant double-double from David Mirkovic.

David Mirkovic graphic of defensive rebound

The Illinois men’s basketball team notched an 84-65 win over Colgate on Nov. 14, 2025, improving to 4-0 on the season. While the final score reflected a balanced team effort, forward David Mirkovic delivered the night’s defining performance, showcasing a level of interior dominance rarely seen in the college game.

Mirkovic controlled the paint and established himself as the premier player on the floor throughout his 38 minutes.

His final stat line underscored his efficiency and relentlessness. He finished with 27 points on 8-for-16 shooting and went 8-for-8 at the free-throw line. He also pulled down 21 rebounds, posting a massive double-double that neutralized Colgate’s interior presence.

Eight of his rebounds came on the offensive end, creating several second-chance opportunities that fueled Illinois’ scoring runs and wore down the Raiders’ defense. He added three assists, strengthening his impact as a complete offensive contributor.

The performance was a definitive statement, reinforcing his status as one of the Illini’s most reliable forces and a player capable of carrying the team through challenging stretches as Illinois continues its early-season momentum.

For over 25 years, Alan Look has documented the soul of the Midwest — from Friday night lights to roaring chrome, from agricultural grit to locomotive legends. See more of more thoughts and photos from Alan Look on his blog at Best Look Magazine.

TAGS: David Mirkovic double-double Illinois vs Colgate basketball recap, Illinois Fighting Illini 4-0 start 2025 season game summary, Colgate Raiders vs Illinois dominant interior performance Mirkovic, Illinois basketball standout player stats David Mirkovic 2025, NCAA men’s basketball early season Illinois vs Colgate analysis

Bloomington Central Catholic Saints: A Silver Finish That Shines Like Gold

The Saints opened strong with a 25-19 first-set win. Columbia responded by taking the next two sets. The runner-up finish capped a standout postseason for Central Catholic.

Central Catholic's Kampbell Niepagen pummels the ball for a kill

Photo: Alan Look Photography

Central Catholic's Kampbell Niepagen pummels the ball during the Saints' Class 2A state championship game against Columbia. The junior finished the three-set affair with a team-high 12 kills, seven digs and two aces.

by Alan Look
Best Look Magazine

NORMAL - The Bloomington Central Catholic Saints closed out a remarkable season on the state’s biggest stage, earning a runner-up finish in the IHSA Class 2A Girls Volleyball Tournament. While the final result — a three-set loss to Columbia (25-19, 20-25, 17-25) in the championship match — may have stung in the moment, the team’s legacy is defined by the exceptional journey that led them to the state final floor in Normal.

Photo: Alan Look Photography

Saints' Josie Certa passes the ball to an outside hitter during Saturday's IHSA Class 2A title game.

The Saints’ dominant postseason run showcased the best of heartland volleyball. They played as a cohesive unit, displaying skill, balance and resilience throughout the state series. In the championship match, they came out strong, taking the first set 25-19 and dictating the early pace. Though Columbia rallied, the Saints’ numbers reflected their determination. They finished with 36 kills, led by Kampbell Niepagen’s 12. Setter Josie Certa powered the offense with 32 assists, distributing the ball with the precision and chemistry built over months of work.

For Central Catholic, the season was a testament to perseverance, consistency and belief. The 2023 Saints cemented their place among the state’s elite and set a new standard for the program. They returned home with silver medals, but the pride they brought to their school and community shone brighter than any hardware.

The championship stage is more than a showcase of athletic ability. It is where communities rally, memories are made and pride is forged. This Saints team will be remembered for its grit, its unity and the joy it brought to every match.

TAGS: Bloomington Central Catholic IHSA Class 2A volleyball championship recap, Columbia vs Central Catholic state title match three-set summary, Illinois high school volleyball 2A runner-up Bloomington Central Catholic, Kampbell Niepagen and Josie Certa state championship performance stats, Central Catholic Saints postseason volleyball run 2023 analysis

Letter to the Editor |
The Silent Killers of Marriage: Control, gossip, and the in-law problem

Some in-laws, particularly mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, often interfere in a couple’s marriage, overstepping boundaries and causing conflict.

Dear Editor,

In the present day, too many marriages are being strangled, not by the couple, but by the in-laws who just refuse to mind their own business. Yes! It’s not lack of love, not money, not differences between husband and wife. It’s interference. Constant, shameless, toxic interference from in-laws — especially from mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law who think they have the right to run the marriage like it’s their proxy war.

Every day, mothers-in-law and sisters-in-law step into a marriage that does not belong to them, speaking ill of the wife, whispering poison into the husband’s ears, and trying to control decisions that are none of their concern in the first place. Let’s say it clearly: they are not part of the marriage. They are not the third, fourth, or fifth partner. They are outsiders to that matrimonial contract, yet they act as the hackers who have hijacked the couple’s shared operating system.

Let’s get this straight with in-laws: you are not part of the couple. You are not the wife. You are not the husband. You are not the decision-maker. You are not the critic-in-chief or quality assurance agent for their love. Yet so many mothers and sisters act like they were appointed to control every detail — what the wife should wear, the neckline of her blouse, the volume of her voice, how the husband should behave, where the couple's autonomy is exercised, even the calendar for conceiving a child. This is all madness disguised as “family involvement.”

In reality, it’s nothing but control, ego, and insecurity. The wife becomes a target of nonstop criticism, jealousy, and comparison. She is criticized for everything and anything: for speaking and for staying silent, for her opinions and for her clothes, for the food she makes and the air she breathes. These mothers and sisters poison the husband’s mind with their gossip, whispering, “She’s changed you,” “She’s controlling you,” “She’s taking you away from us.” And when he starts believing them, the marriage begins to bleed out and suffocate.

Let’s tell the truth: a mother’s role ends where her son’s marriage begins. He has graduated from his mother’s tutorial to his wife’s partnership. And a sister’s opinion holds no weight in her brother’s private life. A wife is not your toy to criticize, nor your competition to hate.

Against all falsehoods, stand this fact: one husband plus one wife equals a marriage. That’s it. No one else. The couple is grown, capable, and mature enough to make their own life decisions. They don’t need approval from anyone, not from a mother who wants to keep her son emotionally chained, not from sisters who think they have the right to interfere, and not from relatives who believe gossip is marital consultation or scholarly critique. This constant interference isn’t love…it’s psychological colonization and theft of privacy. Remember, a marriage doesn’t need a crowd. It needs boundaries, trust, and peace.

Yumna Zahid Ali
Karachi, Pakistan

Yumna Zahid Ali is a writer and educator who spends her free time reading, analyzing literature, and exploring cultural and intellectual debates. When she’s not writing for global audiences, she enjoys reflecting on societal issues and using her voice to challenge inequities, especially those affecting women. She also loves diving into history, believing that remembering the past is an act of defiance and a way to hold power accountable.

TAGS: toxic in-law interference in marriage, how family gossip destroys relationships, setting boundaries with controlling in-laws, effects of mother-in-law jealousy on marriage, protecting your marriage from outside influence

Viewpoint |
Trump defends rioters and controversial pardons amid backlash, the risk of silence

Trump defended his blanket pardons of convicted rioters and police attackers, claiming they were the victims. In an ABC interview, he supported chants against Mike Pence.

by Terry Hansen
Guest Commentary

On January 6, 2021, Daniel Rodriguez repeatedly drove a stun gun into the base of police officer Michael Fanone's skull, causing him to lose consciousness and suffer a heart attack. Rodriguez was sentenced to over 12 years in prison, and the judge called him “a one-man army of hate."

After his blanket pardon of Rodriguez and his fellow cop-beaters, Trump claimed these violent felons did not attack anyone, and that, in fact, they were the ones who had been attacked. He further stated that pardoning them was "a great thing for humanity."

In an interview with ABC's Jonathan Karl, Trump even defended the rioters' "Hang Mike Pence!" chants.

Trump asserted: “Well, the people were very angry. ... It’s common sense, Jon. It’s common sense that you’re supposed to protect. How can you, if you know a vote is fraudulent, right, how can you pass on a fraudulent vote to Congress?”

"Trump derangement syndrome" is a term of propaganda coined to discourage the American people from examining the appalling statements and decisions for which Trump is responsible.

A central tragedy in American politics is the success of figures such as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Vice President JD Vance in constructing narratives that normalize Trump's egregious behavior.

For example, Johnson claims that Donald Trump should be the leading candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize—a man who boasted that other countries are “kissing my a**,” and who chose as his ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Notably, Huckabee has stated that "there is no such thing as a Palestinian."

The danger to America lies not in outrage at Trump’s conduct, but in the silence that so often greets it.

TAGS: Trump pardons, Jan 6, Political controversy, Mike Johnson, JD Vance, Trump rhetoric

Guest Commentary |
Is Congress hypocritical?

The shutdown is expected to shave 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points of annualized inflation-GDP growth per week.

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Glenn Mollette

The American government shutdown impacts about 1.4 million federal workers, with roughly 700,000 furloughed and another 700,000 deemed essential continuing to work without pay. This number doesn’t include the 42 million Americans who rely on SNAP benefits.

About 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 TSA officers are currently working without pay. Once the government shutdown ends they will receive their pay. Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck so this is a tough time.

The shutdown is expected to shave 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points of annualized inflation-GDP growth per week. It’s also delaying the release of economic data, which could make it harder for the Federal Reserve to make informed decisions on interest and monetary policy. However, many economists believe the negative effects will be temporary and will be recovered when normal operations resume.

The major holdup is that Democrats want a spending plan that includes an extension of Covid-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies. Republicans want a spending bill first, and then they’ll talk about the extension of those subsidies.

During the government shutdown, the average US congressman makes around $14,500 per month. Their annual salary is $174,000. They will also receive government health insurance. They will receive their ongoing matching contributions paid into their retirement plan by the government, paid time off, free gym membership and other perks.

US Congress members still receive salaries during a shutdown because the 27th Amendment to the Constitution prevents congressional pay raises or decreases during their current term. Their salaries come from a permanent appropriation that isn’t tied to annual spending bills. They are considered essential workers, even though they’re not directly affected by the shutdown like other federal workers.

Most Americans think it’s unfair for Congress to get paid during a shutdown while federal workers don’t. Many argue it’s hypocritical and unjust. However, there are several members of Congress who reportedly have chosen to not receive their pay until the shutdown is resolved.

During the shutdown, Americans can contact their representatives to express concerns. Donate to charities helping furloughed workers. Participate in peaceful protests/rallies. Support local businesses and national parks. Volunteer for organizations helping federal workers. Stay informed through credible news sources. Reach out to neighbors who are federal workers to offer help. Vote at the upcoming election.

About the author ~

Glen Mollett is the author of 13 books including Uncommom Sense, the Spiritual Chocolate series, Grandpa's Store, Minister's Guidebook insights from a fellow minister. His column is published weekly in over 600 publications in all 50 states.

The views expressed are those of the author and are not necessarily representative of any other group or organization. We welcome comments and views from our readers. Submit your letters to the editor or commentary on a current event 24/7 to editor@oursentinel.com.

Guest Commentary |
41.2 million Americans won't receive SNAP benefits, here is what they can do

During the government shutdown, Americans should support their local food banks as well as church and non-profits.

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Glenn Mollette

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) is a government program that helps low-income individuals and families buy the food they need. Here are some key things to know about SNAP.

SNAP is administered by the US Department of Agriculture and is available in all states The program helps people with limited incomes buy food and maintain good nutrition. Eligibility is based on income and family size. Benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card each month. The card can be used to buy food at authorized stores, farmers markets, and online retailers.

As of November 2025, about 41.2 million Americans are receiving SNAP benefits each month, which is roughly 12.3% of the U.S. population.

To qualify for SNAP, your income must be below a certain amount. The income limits are based on the size of your household. Here are the limits for 2026: 1 person: $1,305/month, 2 people: $1,763/month, 3 people: $2,221/month, 4 people: $2,680/month, 5 people: $3,13month, 6 people: $3,596/month, 7 people: $4,055/month, 8 people: $4,513/month.

Keep in mind that these limits may be higher if someone in your household is 60 or older, or has a disability.

SNAP recipients can buy a wide variety of food items, including:

Fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, herbs)
Meat, poultry, fish, and seafood
Dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs)
Breads and grains (bread, rice, pasta, cereals)
Pantry items (canned goods, oils, spices)
Snacks (nuts, seeds, dried fruit)
Beverages (juice, milk, coffee, tea)
Infant formula and baby food
Seeds and plants to grow your own food

Recipients can also buy prepared meals from certain retailers in some states.

California has the most SNAP recipients, with about 5,496,920 people receiving benefits. Wyoming has the least, with about 5.0% of its population participating in SNAP, or 11,890 people.

Many people who receive SNAP benefits also qualify for other programs, including:

Medicaid or CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program)
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)
WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) program
Free or reduced-price school meals
Low-cost phone or internet service
Housing assistance
Energy assistance
Veterans' benefits

Some states also offer additional benefits, such as:

Summer EBT programs for children
SNAP match programs at farmers' markets
Discounts on museum or zoo visits

The government shutdown is affecting SNAP recipients in several ways.

November SNAP benefits will be delayed due to the shutdown, but a court has ruled they must be paid.
Some states are providing emergency funds to help with the delay.
SNAP recipients can still use their EBT cards and apply for benefits during the shutdown.
Food banks are preparing for an increase in demand.
Some businesses are offering discounted meals and other resources to help.

Americans should support their local food banks as well as church and non-profits who are trying to provide food during this difficult time.

About the author ~

Viewpoint |
Mamdani challenges U.S. on its promise of "never gain"

Many prominent opponents of Zohran Mamdani's candidacy for mayor of New York City, including Rabbi Alan Cook of Champaign, have claimed that Mamdani is falsely accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

by Terry Hansen
Guest Commentary

Recently, many prominent opponents of Zohran Mamdani's candidacy for mayor of New York City, including Rabbi Alan Cook of Champaign, have claimed that Mamdani is falsely accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

However, Israeli Holocaust and genocide researchers — Amos Goldberg, Omer Bartov, Daniel Blatman, Raz Segal and Shmuel Lederman — have all identified Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide. Goldberg asserts:

oursentinel.com viewpoint "What is happening in Gaza is genocide because the level and pace of indiscriminate killing, destruction, mass expulsions, displacement, famine, executions, the wiping out of cultural and religious institutions...and the sweeping dehumanization of the Palestinians — create an overall picture of genocide, of a deliberate conscious crushing of Palestinian existence in Gaza."

Other genocide scholars who have reached this conclusion include Martin Shaw, author of the book What is Genocide?; Melanie O'Brien, president of the International Association of Genocide Scholars; and Dirk Moses, senior editor of the Journal of Genocide Research.

The United Nations Genocide Convention placed prevention at the center of international law. By rejecting credible evidence of genocide, the U.S. is betraying its promise of "never again."

Terry Hansen is a retired educator who writes frequently about climate change. He lives in Milwaukee, WI.

TAGS:International law preventing genocide, United State betrays its promise, Palestinians are being execute and killed indiscriminately, Genocide researchers say Israel's action is genocide.

Guest Commentary |
Everyday actions make a difference, treat people around you right

Everyday actions make a difference. Say thank you a lot and use kind words often.

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Glenn Mollette

America’s continued national success is dependent on all of us-the American people. Our American people are what makes America a great nation. We have a beautiful land. We have plenty of natural resources and we have a great heritage but it’s our everyday actions that make America great.

Everyday actions make a difference. For example, don’t randomly beep your car horn at people. You never know what someone is dealing with in front of you. Possibly, they are not in as big a hurry as you. Maybe they are trying to obey the speed limit. Maybe they are elderly and they have slowed down a bit in life. Riding their bumper and beeping your horn never makes the situation better. You will not advance yourself any faster plus you will only frustrate the driver in front of you and yourself. Lay back, relax and wait for an opportunity to safely pass the car.

Don’t fight with people at the restaurant buffet. Buffets typically have more than enough. I seldom have seen a skinny person filling his or her plate at the buffet. There is no need to rush in front of people to get a spoonful of mashed potatoes. Bide your time, be patient in line and your opportunity to select your chicken or ribs will come. I found myself in a buffet line on a cruise ship not long ago. I began to think that David surely wrote Psalm 23 while navigating a cruise ship’s dessert section.

Treat people the way you like be treated.

Open the door for people but stand and wait for someone to open one for you. Be the one who opens the door and encourage the person close by to go ahead of you. Pushing ahead of someone often prompts them to push forward and there is nothing gained by everyone trying to push forward ahead of the other, except ill will.

Say thank you a lot and use kind words often. We all have the ability to complain and sometimes we have to complain or nothing gets done. When there is a big pot hole in your road then kindly ask the highway department to fix it. Try kindness, speaking respectfully and writing kind letters. Be very nice. You can always get ticked off and angry if there is no other alternative. However, usually there is higher road that we can take and in the end we will feel better if a positive result was met without having to act crazy.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. This is a good Bible rule that works well in all aspects of life. Treat people the way you like be treated. If we, the American people, will do so, our country will run more smoothly, peacefully and happily.

About the author ~

These articles might also interest you:

Letter to the Editor |
The truth will never be outdated

Dear Editor,

Illinois lawmakers have once again chosen left-wing ideology over integrity by embracing Governor J.B. Pritzker’s amendatory veto to the so-called Equality for Every Family Act, HB 2568. Despite its pleasant-sounding title, this legislation redefines what it means to be a mother, father, and family — not to promote equality, but to erase the natural and moral distinctions that God Himself ordained.

The act deliberately severs parenthood from biology, marriage, and Judeo-Christian tradition. It treats children as commodities and family formation as a contractual arrangement, rather than a sacred trust grounded in the union of one man and one woman. By rewriting the Parentage and Gestational Surrogacy Acts, lawmakers have paved the way for state-sanctioned confusion — replacing natural law and parental responsibility with government-imposed definitions — new constructs — rooted in radical gender ideology.

Children have a God-given inherent right — not merely a preference — to be known, loved, and raised by their biological mother and father whenever possible. This truth will never be outdated; it is foundational to human flourishing and social stability. By blurring those God-given roles, Illinois continues its descent into moral chaos, undermining both parental rights and the best interests of children.

True equality is not achieved by denying reality or redefining the family. It is found in upholding truth, honoring motherhood and fatherhood, and protecting the vulnerable — especially children — from the experimental social agendas of adults.

David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute

Got something you want to get off your chest? Send us your letter to the editor today. Here is how: Read this.

Related articles:

TAGS: Union of one man and one woman, Children have a God-given rights, Judeo-Christian tradition, Sentinel Letter to the Editor, ordained natural and moral distinctions, Sentinel opinion-editorial page

Guest Commentary |
We are all influencers, mentor by example

Glenn Mollette emphasizes that everyone has the power to influence those around them. Small acts of guidance and mentorship can have a lasting impact on children and young adults.

by Glenn Mollette, Guest Commentator

Your life may not make a national impact but who knows how far your life might reach? The people, friends, and family you influence today may have a tremendous impact on many others. You never know what an acquaintance or child might grow up to do or become because of you. The difference you are making now could become the integral key that helps someone to achieve their full potential in life.

Glenn Mollette

We are never certain what exactly and totally influences someone to live a life of evil, destruction and terrorism. What source of inspiration drives someone to hate others to the point that they act out in a violent way to wound and kill? We all have various opinions but anything that influences people that negatively is bad.

While none of us have the ability to save the world, we can pay attention to the world around us. Who are those we see routinely in our lives? They are our opportunity to influence, love and mentor in any way that we can.

Some people are difficult to mentor or teach. Old dogs often have trouble learning new tricks. This is one reason we can’t neglect any opportunity we have to positively impact children and young adults who can still be molded and directed.

Many days our practice began with us running 45 minutes and sometimes an hour before we would pick up a basketball.

When I was a kid, I had family, teachers, coaches and ministers who were influential. I also had James E. Webb. James is a first cousin, raised by my grandparents, who lived right across the road from me. He taught me how to play a mandolin a little. He taught me and another first cousin how to play the guitar some. James is a whiz bluegrass banjo picker who inspired us musically and helped us along the way. He spent time with us. He taught us guitar chords and how to put them together to make songs.

James was Mr. Webb when he became one of my seventh and eighth grade teachers. He was a wonderful teacher and made history especially interesting. He was also our eighth-grade basketball coach. The main thing Mr. Webb did for us as a team was to get us into good physical condition. Many days our practice began with us running 45 minutes and sometimes an hour before we would pick up a basketball. We were skinny and we could run. About this same time, I didn’t have a basketball goal to practice on. Mr. Webb built one and put it up in his backyard so I would have a place to practice.

Mr. Webb influenced his entire county as a school principal and musician. He made banjos and other quality handcrafted instruments that are scattered out and around Appalachia. There are a lot of other things James or Mr. Webb has done along the way. We have had a lot of talks about life. He is a good story teller. All of this was 50 years ago, or more. Even today, those little things seem like big things and they were.

Don’t underestimate your influence and how you can mentor others every day.

About the author ~

These articles might also interest you:

Opinion |
Declaring war on the American people, a government chomping at the bit

Trump’s war against “the enemy within” is grounded in lies. Meanwhile, military leaders told to "go along or get out".

by Peter Montgomery
OtherWords

A recent gathering at the Pentagon was extraordinary. Not in a good way.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered hundreds of generals and other officers to leave their posts all over the world. He demanded loyalty to the new “culture” he’s imposing on the armed forces. His message: go along or get out.

Hegseth railed against safeguards that protect service members from abuse and hold people accountable for wrongdoing. He mocked “stupid” and “politically correct” rules of engagement. “You kill people and break things for a living,” he said.

“We unleash overwhelming and punishing violence on the enemy,” Hegseth said.

These comments became far more alarming when President Donald Trump took the stage and made it clear who he sees as the enemy. Trump told military leaders that he’s sending them to war against “the enemy within.”

U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status, and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters...

So the “punishing violence” that Hegseth demands is to be deployed against people here at home. More specifically, Trump said the military should use American cities as “training grounds,” saying, “That’s a war too. It’s a war from within.”

Here’s what that war looked like in Chicago recently: federal agents rappelling from a Black Hawk helicopter onto an apartment building in the middle of the night, border patrol agents breaking into apartments and allegedly zip-tying young children (though DHS denies they were zip-tied), detaining American citizens, and leaving people’s apartments and belongings trashed.

It wasn’t an isolated incident. The Washington Post reported that “U.S. citizens, immigrants with legal status, and children have been among those detained in increasingly brazen and aggressive encounters which pop up daily across neighborhoods in the city of 2.7 million and its many suburbs.”

Trump’s war against “the enemy within” is grounded in lies.

Deployment of the military against American citizens is a frightening abuse of power...

The president and his colleagues have been falsely claiming that Portland, Oregon, is “war-ravaged” and “burning to the ground.” That claim was apparently based on a five-year-old video the president saw on Fox TV. Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden responded by posting a current video of people peacefully enjoying a beautiful fall day in Portland.

The Trump team’s lying would be laughable if it weren’t propaganda with a deadly purpose.

Fortunately, a federal judge — a Trump appointee — blocked Trump’s plans to federalize National Guard troops and send them into Portland, saying there are no conditions on the ground that could justify it. For defending the rule of law, the judge was savagely criticized by the White House.

On top of all of this, Trump has repeatedly violated the foundational military tradition of nonpartisanship. Speaking to cadets at a recent event honoring the Navy’s 250th anniversary, Trump declared, “We have to take care of this little gnat that’s on our shoulder called the Democrats.” As one commenter noted, Trump basically told the Navy to view half of the country as the enemy.

That’s dangerous. And it’s un-American.

People sometimes interpret Trump’s unhinged rhetoric as a strategy to distract people from other stories. It’s worse than that.

I’m sure the president would like people to ignore that he shut down the federal government to preserve tax cuts for the richest 1 percent while forcing millions of families to face huge increases for health insurance or lose their coverage completely.

But Trump’s “enemy within” is more than a distraction. It is even more than a violent threat against millions of our fellow Americans. It’s promotion for a war the president is already waging — one that’s been denounced by retired generals and veterans.

The unjustifiable deployment of the military against American citizens is a frightening abuse of power that should alarm Republicans and independents as well as Democrats. The Constitution can protect all of us only if we defend the Constitution.

Peter Montgomery is a Senior Fellow at People for the American Way. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

TAGS: Trump's unhinged rhetoric, foundational military tradition, border patrol agents breaking into apartments, gathering at the Pentagon

Viewpoint |
Mental health, gender care, and justice: The debate around Sophie Roske’s prison term

From assassination plot to prison: Sophie Roske’s case highlights mental health, gender care, and political accountability.

by Terry Hansen
Guest Commentary

Sophie Roske, a transgender woman, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for her plot to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Prosecutors sought a minimum sentence of 30 years.

Judge Deborah Boardman explained that Roske voluntarily abandoned her assassination plan, expressed remorse, had no prior criminal record, and was experiencing a mental health crisis.

Boardman also questioned whether Roske would receive adequate mental health treatment in prison, citing President Trump’s executive order banning gender-affirming care for federal inmates.

Attorney General Pam Bondi and conservative media outlets like the New York Post and National Review have expressed outrage over the 8-year sentence.

oursentinel.com viewpoint Yet by their standards, the scores of January 6 rioters who breached the Capitol while chanting "Hang Mike Pence!" should also have been sentenced to at least 30 years in prison. After all, they are domestic terrorists who attempted to execute the Vice President. Instead, they have all been pardoned by President Trump.

Appallingly, in an interview with Jonathan Karl of ABC News, Trump actually defended the January 6 rioters' "Hang Mike Pence!" chants.

How can anyone claim to oppose political violence while supporting a person who pardoned January 6 rioters who assaulted police officers and publicly defended their violent chants?

Terry Hansen is a retired educator who writes frequently about climate change. He lives in Milwaukee, WI.

TAGS: Sophie Roske assassination plot, Brett Kavanaugh threat, Supreme Court security, transgender inmate prison sentence, mental health and criminal justice, gender-affirming care ban, January 6 rioters pardons, political violence in the U.S., Trump executive orders, criminal sentencing controversy

Guest Commentary |
AI in daily life: Intimacy, disruption, and what it means for humanity

From personal assistants to algorithmic influence, AI challenges human autonomy and highlights the need for education, ethics, and regulation.

by Nabajyoti Narzary
Guest Commentary

The trouble with living in 2025 is that the future doesn’t knock politely anymore — it barges in, makes itself at home, rearranges the furniture of our lives, and leaves us wondering when we agreed to let it in.

Artificial intelligence isn’t arriving tomorrow; it has already moved into our lives, humming in our pockets, inboxes, the search engine that finishes our sentences, the navigation app that anticipates our destination, and even in the dreams of people who think they’re immune to “tech trends.”

The world’s unease about AI is nothing new. We’ve always had a complicated relationship with inventions. History shows that every great leap begins with astonishment and ends with adjustment. In the 15th century, Gutenberg’s printing press shook society. Monks who spent their lives copying manuscripts became irrelevant. Scholars fretted over unverified knowledge, and political authorities feared pamphlets that could bypass approval. Printed words, they argued, lacked the sanctity of handwritten ones. In time, the press spread falsehoods — but it also ignited the Renaissance, transformed education, and democratized the written word. It was both liberating and destabilizing.

Einstein once argued that education should be about ideas, not just facts.

AI stands in a similar place today. The difference is that this time the machine isn’t confined to a factory or lab. It is intimate, personal, pervasive — helping your child with homework, curating your playlist, reminding you to drink water — and possibly selling those data points to someone you’ve never met. It follows our movements, records our preferences, and learns our habits until it can predict them with disquieting accuracy.

We call this “personalization,” but it is really a mirror showing how predictable we’ve become. Free will, so cherished as a human ideal, begins to resemble a carefully staged performance in which the lines are gently suggested by algorithms. The printing press gave control of ideas to the many; AI could reverse that, shifting influence back to those who design the systems. If free will was ever a pristine thing, algorithms now have smudged the glass. Nietzsche declared “God is dead,” and humanity took his place. Now our own creations, “powered by code instead of commandments,” test how it feels to dethrone us.

Its impact on education shows its paradox. Teachers admit that essays, lab reports, and even poetry assignments arrive in prose too polished for a sleep-deprived teenager. The deeper question isn’t cheating; it’s the gradual outsourcing of thought. If a machine can generate a flawless answer in seconds, what exactly is the student supposed to learn? Einstein once argued that education should be about ideas, not just facts. In the AI age, that principle is urgent: machines will always store and retrieve better than we can; what they cannot do is cultivate judgment, empathy, and context. Those are the skills education must protect.

Left entirely to the pursuit of profit, it will entrench the disparities it claims to solve.

Half-literacy in the digital age is more dangerous than illiteracy ever was. A person who can read but cannot discern misinformation, or who can navigate a device but cannot question its intent, is more vulnerable than one who lacks access. As AI advances, truth and fabrication will blur with greater sophistication. The challenge will not be finding answers but knowing which questions are worth asking.

What makes AI’s rise feel different from earlier technological revolutions is its intimacy. We don’t just use it; we confide in it. Chatbots have become companions to the lonely, brainstorming partners to the overworked, and sometimes more rewarding than speaking to another human. The machine never interrupts or takes offense. But comfort has a price. Time saved is rarely spent on rest or reflection; it is reinvested into more screen time, dependence, and anxiety about being left behind.

Meanwhile, tech companies frame this as empowerment — “democratizing knowledge,” “upskilling communities,” “bridging the digital divide.” Sometimes these initiatives are genuine, other times akin to the colonial “free railways” — convenient for the empire, less so for the colonized.

The danger isn’t only in surveillance or job loss. It is in the erosion of inefficiencies that make us human. Progress is messy, contradictory, full of detours. A society optimized to perfection may function better, but it would lose the unpredictability that sparks art, discovery, and change.

We now see the appetite for ranking people with algorithmic “merit scores” — a digital caste system where privilege and productivity are weighed and tagged. The Gold Class gets the plum opportunities; the Bronze Class is told it’s still “included” while quietly excluded from anything that matters. Technology, we’re told, is the great equalizer. In practice, it magnifies the inequalities it claims to erase. Facebook’s “Free Basics,” meant to connect the unconnected, was accused of enabling propaganda and deepening divides. AI could do the same — faster, more precisely, and harder to catch in the act.

Photo: Markus Spiske/PEXELS

AI is a powerful tool with the potential to expand education, healthcare, and access to marginalized voices, but unchecked profit-driven use could worsen inequalities. The key is cultivating wisdom to guide it through strong regulation, public literacy, and discernment about when machine learning is appropriate. Ultimately, its impact depends on how responsibly society steers its development.

Yet to see AI only as a threat is to miss its potential. Like the printing press, it is a tool, not a destiny. Used with transparency, accountability, and imagination, it could extend education to the remotest villages, deliver healthcare to those without doctors, and give voice to silenced communities. Left entirely to the pursuit of profit, it will entrench the disparities it claims to solve.

The real question is whether we can cultivate the wisdom to steer it. That means regulation as ambitious as the technology, public literacy campaigns beyond “how to use” guides, and the humility to admit that not every problem needs a machine-learning solution.

Human history is a long conversation with our inventions. At first, they astonish us. Then we adapt. Eventually, we forget who began the conversation, and the creation becomes background, like wallpaper we no longer notice. The printing press, steam engine, light bulb — each began as a wonder and ended as something ordinary.

AI will follow the same arc unless we choose otherwise. What feels extraordinary today will be mundane tomorrow, but in this brief in-between moment, we still have the chance to decide the terms of our partnership with it. The future is shaped not only in public breakthroughs but in what we accept, automate, and what we stop questioning. If we surrender those choices to the machine, it will not need our consent. It will keep speaking long after we have stopped listening.

Nabajyoti Narzary works in administration, where he explore the intersection of people and institutional systems at the grassroots level, uncovering untold stories of governance and everyday resilience. Writing is his sanctuary, flowing from daily observations and reflective moments, often captured in a personal diary and complemented by long evening walks with their dog, Nia. A college trip to Serbia sparked a lasting interest in Eastern European culture and history, inspiring a deep appreciation for the region’s complex tapestry shaped by centuries of conflict, coexistence, and cultural evolution.

Tagged: AI in daily life, AI and education, artificial intelligence 2025, future of work and AI, AI ethics and regulation, technology disrupting society, human free will and AI, AI and digital literacy, AI opportunities and risks, living with artificial intelligence

Viewpoint |
Single moms and the child care crisis in the U.S.

Moms across the U.S. are sharing similar struggles, highlighting the systemic failures in family and child care policy. Stories from Sweden, Norway, Canada, and Portugal show alternatives where child care is affordable and supportive of parents.

by Brea Harris
OtherWords

At three months old, my son was kicked out of his daycare.

I had spent my pregnancy navigating my city’s brutal child care landscape — posting on social media looking for nanny shares, adding my name to year-long waitlists, and wondering how I was going to pay the astronomical daycare fees.

So when I found this place, I felt a flood of relief. It was close to my job, half the cost of others in the area, and had a gold star recommendation from a friend of a friend. It seemed like a unicorn amidst daycares. It seemed like the perfect fit.

Yet less than a week after I returned to work, I received a call asking me to pick up my son because he was crying too much. The next day, same call. After a few days I was told “it was not a good fit.” I had until the end of the month.

I quickly learned that I’m not alone. Almost every mom I know has a story like this.

I had exhausted my PTO and depleted my savings in an attempt to offset the costs of my unpaid leave. I don’t have family nearby. I’m a single mom working in healthcare unable to work remotely or stay home full time. And I had no idea where I was going to send my three month old son during the day while I worked.

I sent out desperate pleas to mom groups in my area and eventually, through the power of the moms in my community, I found the daycare he now attends.

I love this daycare. However, it costs more than my rent — it puts a $1,600 deficit in my monthly budget. So with each passing month I fall further behind on car payments, student loans, utilities. And every day I field calls from debt collectors.

All of this is due to the cost of child care.

It was moms that helped me secure a last minute daycare spot.

When I started sharing my story with friends, coworkers, and random moms on the playground, I quickly learned that I’m not alone. Almost every mom I know has a story like this. They’ve been juggling budget deficits to afford care, pleading for financial aid, adding their names to yearlong wait lists, reducing their work hours, or cutting their careers short.

The details vary, but the common thread is this: Child care costs are unsustainable.

One night, up late with a teething baby, I fell down a Google rabbit hole, reading about countries with policies that truly support moms and families. Sweden offers 16 months of paid parental leave. Norway provides leave specifically for parents caring for a sick child. Canada is initiating $10 a day child care. Portugal has free child care for all regardless of income.

This late night rabbit hole affirmed what I already knew in my gut: moms in the U.S. are struggling due to systemic issues and policy failures. And it does not have to be this way.

In my 13 months of motherhood, I’ve already witnessed the power moms have when we band together. It was moms that helped me secure a last minute daycare spot. It was moms who recently gathered at a local park to swap baby gear in response to rising prices.

And it will be moms who demand more from our policymakers when it comes to the accessibility of child care in our country.

Brea Harris is a single mom living in Chicago. This op-ed was distributed by OtherWords.org.

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